President Debbie Petree, Vice-President Tim Smith, and Allied Health Coordinator Valerie Branam were present to receive the recognition from COE Executive Director Dr. Gary Puckett and COE Chairperson Dr. Lois Gackenheimer Richards. 

 JACKSBORO, TN (SPECIAL TO WLAF) – The Council on Occupational Education (COE) recognized the Tennessee College of Applied Technology – Jacksboro (TCAT Jacksboro) for completing fifty years of accredited status at the Council’s Annual Meeting on November 8-10, 2022 in Orlando, Florida. TCAT Jacksboro, which became initially accredited with COE in 1972, has undergone self-studies and subsequent site visits about every six years to maintain this recognition.

The award of accreditation is based on an evaluation to demonstrate that the institution meets not only the standards of quality of the Council, but also the needs of students, the community, and employers.

The Commission’s evaluation process includes an extensive self-study by the institution and an intensive review by a visiting team of professional educators representing the Commission’s member institutions from other states.

The Council on Occupational Education, based in Atlanta, Georgia, offers quality assurance services to postsecondary career and technical education providers across the nation. Organized as a non-profit corporation, the mission of the Council is to assure quality and integrity in career and technical education. Services offered include institutional accreditation (recognized by the U.S. Department of Education), program quality reviews for states and workforce education providers, and informational services. Most of the Council’s work is carried out by qualified professional volunteers who are experts in workforce education.

Institutional membership in the Council is voluntary but can only be achieved by becoming accredited. The members include postsecondary public technical institutes and colleges, specialized military and national defense schools, Job Corps Centers, private career schools, non-profit workforce education providers, corporate and industry education units, federal agency institutions and registered apprenticeships. The Council is unique among all accrediting agencies with respect to the diversity of entities that it accredits. There are over 550 institutional members at the present time.

President Debbie Petree, Vice-President Tim Smith, and Allied Health Coordinator Valerie Branam were present to receive the recognition from COE Executive Director Dr. Gary Puckett and COE Chairperson Dr. Lois Gackenheimer Richards.  Dr. Petree expressed her gratitude to the current faculty and staff as well as all the faculty and staff who have been a part of the TCAT family since its’ beginning in 1967.  “It is an honor to accept this award on behalf of all who have contributed to the success of our college” stated Petree. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 11/30/2022-6AM)

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